1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle, and particularly to a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle in which the overall length of the vehicle can be reduced while keeping an appropriate weight balance in the vehicle body front-rear direction. The fuel cell powered vehicle having such a configuration that the efficiency in supplying a reactant gas to a fuel cell can be enhanced, that a sufficient amount of the reactant gas can be sucked into the fuel cell without enlarging a supercharger, and that leakage of hydrogen from any part of hydrogen reserving means and each hydrogen passage can be detected assuredly.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, there have been known fuel cell powered vehicles on which a fuel cell for generating electric power through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is mounted and which are driven to run by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. In such a vehicle, the fuel cell occupying a large proportion of the vehicle weight is in many cases disposed in the vicinity of the center of the vehicle body, in consideration of the weight balance in the vehicle body front-rear direction.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112094 discloses a fuel cell powered motorcycle in which a fuel cell is disposed at the lowest part of the vehicle body and substantially at the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body.
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112094, however, the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell is set in the vehicle body front-rear direction, so that it is difficult for a pivot shaft for swingably supporting a swing arm to be located rather on the front side relative to a rear end part of the fuel cell. This makes it difficult to apply the technique of contriving a reduction in the overall vehicle body length by shortening the wheel base, while securing a sufficient swing arm length.
In addition, conventional fuel cell powered vehicles have been known on which a fuel cell for generating electric power through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is mounted and which are driven to run by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. In a solid polymer membrane type fuel cell supplied with a hydrogen-containing fuel gas and an oxygen-containing reactant gas, suction ports for the fuel gas and the reactant gas are preferably provided on the upper side of the fuel cell, since the reaction product water produced at the time of power generation flows to the lower side of the fuel cell due to gravity.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112094 discloses a configuration of a fuel cell powered vehicle based on application of a direct methanol type fuel cell, wherein a reactant gas supply port is provided on the upper side of the fuel cell.
As a technique for supplying the fuel cell with a larger quantity of the reactant gas, it may be contemplated to enhance the ability of the supercharger to supply the reactant gas to the fuel cell. From this point of view, the above-mentioned problem has hitherto been solved by enlarging the supercharger. However, with regard to a configuration which makes it possible to supply the reactant gas in an amount sufficient for the power generating reaction by enhancing the efficiency in supplying the reactant gas to the fuel cell without enlarging the supercharger, there has yet been room for contrivance. Such a configuration is not investigated in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-112094.
Still further, conventional fuel cell powered vehicles have been known on which a fuel cell for generating electric power through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is mounted and which are driven to run by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. In relation to such a fuel cell powered vehicle, a configuration is publicly known in which a hydrogen sensor for detecting leakage of hydrogen from any part of hydrogen reserving means, such as a hydrogen cylinder, and each hydrogen passage is mounted.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-291849 discloses a configuration of a fuel cell powered vehicle having a compartment shielded from the outside air, wherein a hydrogen sensor is mounted at the highest position of a roof panel constituting a ceiling part of the compartment, whereby penetration of hydrogen (which is lighter than air) into the compartment can be recognized efficiently.
However, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-291849 contains little investigation as to a configuration for a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle such as a motorcycle and a three-wheel vehicle having no compartment, wherein leakage of hydrogen from any part of hydrogen reserving means and each hydrogen passage can be detected.